...
Introducing WhatsApp AI Agents - meet your 24/7 AI Employee. Join our live demo [Register Now]
Demo
Login
Start Free Trial

Case Study

Selection Centre Sports: Scaling 17 Retail Stores with WhatsApp Automation using Interakt

Industry
Retail

Use Case
Cart Recovery,
Automated response to customers,
Order Updates

Winning Features

  • WhatsApp Workflows
  • OOO replies
  • Abandoned Cart Recovery Campaigns
  • Auto Chat Assignment.
Do try Interakt. It will truly help your business, from utility messages to workflows tailored to your operations. It makes your team’s life easier, keeps customers happier, and in the long run, happy customers always come back.
Picture of Keval Shah

Keval Shah

Director, Selection Centre Sports Private Limited

Like what you see? Share it with a friend

Linkedin Twitter Facebook

Table of Contents

About the Brand

Selection Centre Sports (SCS Sports) is one of India’s leading sports and fitness retail chains, with 17 branches across 13–14 locations in the country. Known for its wide range of sports gear, footwear, and fitness equipment, the brand has built strong credibility through its offline retail presence.

 

In addition to its multi-store operations, SCS Sports is also the official distributor for Brooks Running in India and select international markets.

 

While the brand was deeply rooted in offline retail, the last few years marked a strategic shift toward building a stronger online presence, starting with their website and eventually scaling communication through WhatsApp.

The Challenge

As a fast-growing retail chain, SCS Sports faced multiple communication bottlenecks:

1️.  High Volume of Customer Queries
  • Customers primarily reached out via phone calls and regular WhatsApp
  • Store teams had to handle walk-in customers and incoming calls simultaneously
  • Manual chat handling led to delays and inconsistent responses

2️.  No Structured Communication System

  • Conversations were scattered across devices
  • No centralized tracking
  • Difficult to manage customer data efficiently

3️.  Location-Based Store Confusion

With multiple branches across India, customers often:

  • Contacted the wrong store
  • Waited longer for responses
  • Needed redirection manually by staff

As query volume increased, manual handling became unsustainable.

Why WhatsApp?

SCS Sports chose WhatsApp as their primary communication channel because:

  • It eliminated the need for manual data recording
  • Conversations were easily accessible
  • Sharing photos, pricing, and addresses was seamless
  • Customers preferred texting over waiting for calls

Most importantly:

 

Instead of customers waiting on hold, WhatsApp allowed faster, smoother communication.

 

For the team, it meant:

  • Less pressure compared to answering continuous calls
  • Time to respond thoughtfully
  • Better handling of both in-store and online customers

The Turning Point: Partnering with Interakt

 

5–6 years ago, while building the website for Brooks Running India, SCS Sports onboarded Interakt to streamline communication.

 

What started as a website support integration soon evolved into a central communication engine for:

  • Brooks Running India
  • Their primary website: SCSSports.in
  • Multiple store-level operations

The transition was seamless, and the impact was immediate.

Automation That Changed Everything

With Interakt, SCS Sports implemented key automations that removed manual dependency and improved efficiency:

1. Automated Greetings

 

Customers instantly know:

  • The account is active
  • Their query is acknowledged
  • The team cares

2.  Location-Based Routing

 

One of their most impactful automations:

  • Customers are prompted to share their location
  • Based on the city, they are guided to the nearest store
  • Mumbai customers - Mumbai store
  • Faster resolution, less confusion

This saves:

  • Customer time
  • Staff effort
  • Store coordination overhead
3. Abandoned Checkout Messages

Automated reminders help recover potential lost sales from the website.

4. Order Updates

Customers receive structured updates without manual intervention.

5. Workflows

Customized flows designed specifically for retail queries.

6. Out-of-Office Responses

Ensures no customer feels ignored, even outside working hours.

Business Impact

Daily WhatsApp Volume:

 

60–70 messages per day

 

Out of these:

  • 10–20 store queries are automatically resolved through workflows and location automation.

This means:

  • Significant reduction in manual handling
  • Faster response time
  • Better store-level efficiency
  • Happier customers

Post-Onboarding Experience

Over time, Interakt has become their default communication layer across websites and stores.

 

The team now operates with:

  • More structure
  • Better visibility
  • Reduced stress
  • Higher customer satisfaction
Start your free trial today